Sennheiser already have a solid reputation in music production circles thanks to their HD 600 and HD 650 headphones which can be found plugged into countless audio interfaces in bedrooms and studios all over the world but that hasn’t stopped them launching other headphones aimed at producers and audio engineers, of which the HD 400 Pro refererence headphones are the newest to roll off the production line.
Retailing at just shy of $250 these headphones are aimed at the professional and audiophile end of the market so let’s take a closer look at the HD 400 Pro headphones and see what makes them special.
What are the Sennheiser HD 400 Pro headphones good for?
The HD 400 Pro are studio headphones designed to have an honest (ie not hyped) natural sound and neutral transparency for the accurate mixing, editing and mastering of audio.
Are the Sennheiser HD 400 open-back or closed-back headphones?
The HD 400 are open-back headphones which when combined with the angled transducer design (to mimic the position in which an audio producer would listen on monitor loudspeakers) allows for some pretty impressive stereo imaging.
What is the Sennheiser HD 400 Pro Impedance?
120-ohms makes the HD 400 Pro a high impedance headphone set meaning you’ll need a decent amp or audio interface to drive them. (In comparison, the ever-popular Audio Technica ATH-M50 Studio Headphones have an impedance of just 38 ohms.) (What you need to know about headphone impedance.)
What is the frequency response of the HD 400 Pro?
The HD 400 Pro has a frequency response of 6 Hz to 38 kHz (-10 dB). (In comparison, the more expensive HD 650’s have a frequency response of 10Hz-41kHz.)
Are the Sennheiser HD 400 Pro heavy headphones?
The HD 400 Pro weigh in at 0.52 lbs./240g making them lighter than a pair of Audio Technica ATH-M50x (0.62 lbs/285g) and lighter than the Sennheiser HD600’s (0.57 lbs/260g).
Is the HD 400 Pro cable detachable?
The HD 400 PRO features a detachable coiled cable, with a 3.5 mm jack plug. A straight cable is also included in the box.
What are the Sennheiser HD 400 earpads made of?
The HD 400 Pro earpads are velour.
Are the Sennheiser HD 400 Pro headphones wired or wireless?
The HD 400 Pro headphones are wired headphones.
Sennheiser HD 400 Pro vs Sennheiser HD 600 – which is the most expensive headphones?
At $249 the HD 400 Pro’s are considerably cheaper than the HD 600 ($399.95).
Best alternative to the Sennheiser HD 400 Pro headphones?
The HD 300 Pro are $50 cheaper than the HD 400 Pro but lack some of the features and technical specs which make the HD 400 Pro such a tempting buy for music producers.
If you’re a casual user or podcaster rather than a music producer or professional audio engineer you might find that the HD 300 Pro are more than enough to satisfy your needs.
If music production is your life and/or career and you’re willing to pay more for the best then consider the Sennheiser HD 600 ($399) or HD 650’s ($499) and if money is no object then consider Sennheiser’s flagship HD 800 S Open-back headphones ($1599).
Sennheiser HD 400 Pro vs HD 650 for Mixing?
The newer HD 400 Pro headphones certainly bring some interesting technology to the studio headphones battle and are retailing for $100 less than HD 650 making them something of a bargain but the more expensive HD 650’s are the well establised studio headphones to plump for if you want to be hearing your mixes on the exact same gear as many of your peers and rivals.
Given the target market for these cans I’m guessing Sonarworks will be adding a HD 400 Pro profile to their calibration software sometime soon which should help to make the HD 400 Pro an even more useful when it comes to those critical mixing decisions.
See the official Sennheiser site for more details and full technical specs.
*Prices correct at time of writing based on the Sennheiser store website.